WCGA • Collegiate Gymnastics Growth Initiative

We
Stand With
Iowa State Gymnastics

Cyclones Gymnastics • Ames, Iowa

"This is bigger than any single program. This is bigger than any single season. This is about creating a legacy that transforms women's collegiate athletics."

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A Season Paused, Not a Dream Ended

On February 8, 2026, Iowa State University announced the cancellation of the remainder of its women's gymnastics season. The decision came down to one thing: the health and safety of the student-athletes who represent the Cyclones.

"The health, safety and overall welfare of our student-athletes is paramount, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they are able to safely train and compete at the highest level."

– Shamaree Brown, Senior Associate AD for Student Services, Iowa State University

With five meets remaining before the Big 12 Championships, Iowa State made the call to cancel the remainder of the season. Our hearts go out to the student-athletes who dedicated themselves to this program and who deserve every opportunity to compete at the highest level.

This is a moment that demands our collective support, our advocacy, and our commitment to the future of this program. This is not the end of Cyclone gymnastics. Once a Cyclone, Always a Cyclone.


The Premier Women's Collegiate Sport Needs Every Program

Women's collegiate gymnastics is the female equivalent of football on the male side. The pageantry is phenomenal. The energy in a packed arena is electric. The fan experience is unlike anything else in women's athletics. And with Olympic women's gymnastics as the number one most-watched sport globally during the Games, the upside for the collegiate game is enormous.

But this sport doesn't reach its full potential when programs struggle. A program that succeeds and then lifts others creates momentum that benefits everyone. That's not just a talking point. It's the foundation of everything the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association stands for.

Right now, it's our turn to rally around the Cyclones, their student-athletes, and everyone who has given everything to this program. We support them. We stand behind their future. And we make sure they come back stronger, better resourced, and ready to compete at the highest level.

A Sport Exploding in Popularity

This isn't a blip. This is a movement backed by record-breaking data at every level. And it's accelerating every single year.

+1,097%
NCAA Championship viewership growth since 2019
12.7M
viewers for the 2024 Olympic women's team final. The #1 most-watched Olympic sport
1.5M
peak viewers for the 2025 NCAA Championship on ABC. Highest in ESPN platform history
624K
viewers for a regular-season Florida vs. Alabama meet on ABC. Up against the NFL. A record for a non-championship telecast.
64,385
total home attendance at Utah in 2025. The Red Rocks are the hottest ticket in women's collegiate sport.
40%
higher ad engagement during women's sports programming vs. primetime TV. Brands like Vuori, Skims, and United Airlines are investing aggressively
~100
live broadcast hours across 8 ESPN platforms in 2025. The most expansive gymnastics season in ESPN history
99%
graduation success rate. The #1 GPA (3.77) and #1 Academic Progress Rate (994) among all women's NCAA sports.
Surging
Michigan (12,707 record), Michigan State (9,887 record, Jan 2026), and LSU (12,590 avg) are all setting new attendance marks. The momentum is national.

"There are two sports I have come across in my career at ESPN that I believe have unlimited potential: gymnastics and softball."

– Meg Aronowitz, Vice President of Production, ESPN


Why We Believe and Why You Should Too

Gymnastics provides the foundation for developing daring, strong, and confident women. The impact extends far beyond the competition floor. This is what we're protecting. This is what we're building.

This Sport Transforms Lives.
Every Program Matters.

Our gymnasts graduate at a 99% rate, lead all women's NCAA sports in GPA, and 76.8% are Scholastic All-Americans. They lead student organizations, volunteer in communities, and graduate ready to make an immediate impact. As Olympic gold medalist Bart Conner says: "They're the epitome of what a top-level student-athlete should be. It's the best money the university can spend."

Iowa State Will Come Back Bigger and Better

This is a temporary chapter in a long and proud Cyclone gymnastics story. Programs across the country have faced difficult moments and emerged stronger because the people around them believed in the mission and invested in the future.

The Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association and the Collegiate Gymnastics Growth Initiative stand firmly alongside Iowa State's administration, coaching staff, and student-athletes. We believe in this program. We believe in this sport. And we believe that when Iowa State returns to the competition floor, the Cyclones and the Hilton Coliseum crowd will remind everyone why women's collegiate gymnastics is the most electrifying experience in women's athletics.

The world is watching. The opportunity is here. The time is now.

"Iowa State Gymnastics has been the cornerstone of character, growth, and pride for myself and for all those who came before and after me. Being part of Iowa State Gymnastics means being part of something far bigger than oneself. Wearing the Cardinal and Gold was a privilege I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

The moments in the locker room, competing in Hilton Coliseum, and everything in between created a bond that connects us all as a family. Being a Cyclone athlete and coach shaped me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. The pride, loyalty, life lessons, and discipline instilled through this program laid a foundation not only for me, but for so many others as well.

I am forever grateful and honored to be a Cyclone Gymnast. Loyal. Forever. True."

– Haylee Young, Class of 2018, Assistant Coach 2021-2025


Three Ways You Can
Stand With Iowa State Gymnastics

1. Stand With State

Share your support publicly. Post or repost #StandWithStateGymnastics and #cyclonenation on your social media. Show the Cyclones, their families, and the athletics administration that the gymnastics community stands united behind this program.

2. Contact Iowa State Athletics

Let the administration know you believe in this program's future. Send an email, make a call, or reach out through the athletics website. Your voice matters. Decision-makers need to hear that Iowa State Gymnastics has a passionate, invested community ready to support its return.

3. Spread the Word

Share this page. Talk about Iowa State Gymnastics. Attend meets at other programs. Advocate for women's gymnastics at your own institution. The sport grows stronger when every program succeeds, and every voice amplifies the movement.

#StandWithStateGymnastics

Once a Cyclone, Always a Cyclone.

This page is presented by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA), the national advocacy association for NCAA women's gymnastics, and the Collegiate Gymnastics Growth Initiative (CGGI), the strategic arm working to expand resources, media exposure, and competitive opportunities across the sport.

Together, we believe that when one program thrives, the entire sport benefits. When one program faces adversity, we all rally behind it. This is bigger than any single season. This is about building the premier women's collegiate sport.

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